To Please the Doctor Read Online Free PDF Page B

trunk was unpacked and hidden away and she was ready dressed in her uniform when a tap on the door heralded the arrival of her next escort. The girl who entered the room stared at Jill with obvious interest and, when she spoke, made no secret of her surprise at what she saw. “ You are quite young, aren ’ t you? ”
    Jill was quick to note the underlying tone of resentment, almost amounting to hostility in the newcomer ’ s voice, her experience in dealing with staff immediately put her on her guard. “ Not so very young. But do tell me, did you expect someone really ancient? ” she asked with a laugh.
    “ Not exactly, ” the other girl replied, in no way mollified by Jill ’ s friendly tone. “ Sister Wilks—whose place you are filling—was considerably older, and as you ’ d come from a London hospital, well ... ” Her words trailed away as she dismissed the subject. “ I ’ m Nurse Malling , Brenda Malling ; I ’ m senior on the ward. I ’ ve been deputy Sister this week as we haven ’ t had anyone. ”
    “ Oh, I see. ” Jill certainly did see a lot more than she was w illing to express. It seemed obvious that this girl had hoped to fill the vacancy left by Sister Wilks, and naturally resented a girl, if anything younger than herself, stepping into the post. “ I am sure you are going to be a tremendous help. My name is Jill Fernley, and I do hope we are going to be great friends.
    Brenda Malling was apparently finding the new Sister ’ s friendly attitude somewhat disarming, but she still showed no inclination to be drawn. “ Shall I take you over now or would you rather have lunch first? ”
    “ That ’ s entirely up to you, whichever you think better, ” Jill assured her.
    “ There won ’ t be a ward round until about two, better lunch first, ” Nurse Malling stated indifferently. “ Come on, I ’ ll show you the way. ”
    In spite of the curious glances sent in her direction, Jill managed to enjoy her meal and even her companion ’ s detached bearing didn ’ t spoil her appetite. It seemed that Nurse Malling was also going to present a problem, but that didn ’ t worry Jill overmuch. She ’ d always found a way of handling the most difficult nurses and winning them round in the end. After some consideration she wondered whether the direct method of attack wasn ’ t going to be the best approach with Brenda Malling . Instilling a note of kindly interest into her voice, she began: “ I imagine it ’ s been rather disappointing for you that you haven ’ t taken over Sister Wilks ’ post? ”
    Momentarily taken aback, the other girl hesitated, then, accepting the challenge, replied. “ Naturally it should have been offered me. It would have been if Miss Laine hadn ’ t mentioned you r name. ” She shut her lips firmly and it was clear that she did not intend to enlarge further on the subject.
    T en minutes later, followed her along to the Children ’ s Annexe she realized, not without some dismay, that Nurse Malling wasn ’ t going to be easy to tackl e . She was, in a way, an attractive girl, dark, with a clear olive skin and small features, but there was a hard line to the well-shaped mouth which filled Jill with apprehension . The future loomed pretty dark if, besides Dr. McRey ’ s unfriend liness, she also had to cope with a difficult Staff Nurse.
    “ This is your room, ” Brenda Malling announced briefly, throwing open the door of a small room to the left of the entrance corridor. “ That ’ s our own X-ray department opposite, kitchen, wash-room, and the ward bathrooms; that ’ s the ward through the double doors at the end. ”
    Jill was too intent upon studying the room which would be the sanctum of all her working hours to be aware of the latter part of her escort ’ s statement. It was a well-equipped room, one side entirely devoted to built-in cupboards, while opposite the door a wide window looked across the grounds to the main gates. The simple furnishings